All protocols

When starting to fatigue, inhale deeply and maximize diaphragmatic expansion to deliver more oxygen.

If you hit the wall during long-duration work, increase speed somewhat—not an all-out sprint—to tap into a different fuel source.

Show up to exercise reasonably hydrated and include electrolytes, especially sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

If drinking during >70% VO2 max work is difficult, train the capacity gradually rather than forcing large amounts immediately; start by sipping small amounts of fluid during intense workouts, then progress to larger gulps as adaptation occurs.

During runs, swims, or cycling, focus on a landmark or milestone to generate more effort, then relax by dilating the visual field afterward; alternate focused and panoramic vision to help regulate effort and efficiency.

Insert 10-second periods of doing nothing within learning bouts; during the rest, do not look at your phone or attend to anything else. You can close your eyes if you want, then return to repetitions.

Use protective headphones in loud work environments to prevent hearing loss.

Low sodium may contribute to lightheadedness; in some cases, adding a little sea salt to water can help address low electrolytes/low sodium.

If seasick on a boat, go up on deck, get fresh air, and look off toward the horizon rather than at nearby objects.

When trying to reduce seasickness or motion sickness, do not lock your gaze on a single point; allow your visual system to track with your vestibular system.

Choose one primary goal and emphasize it for a 10–12 week cycle rather than trying to maximize everything at once.

If mainly interested in endurance, use roughly a 3:2 ratio of endurance to strength/hypertrophy workouts; e.g., 3–4 endurance workouts and 2 strength/hypertrophy workouts per week.

If mainly focusing on strength and hypertrophy, do 3–4 strength/hypertrophy workouts and 2 endurance workouts per week.

Begin with the minimum number of sets needed to get results; if a protocol says 3–5 sets, start with 3 or even 2 if unaccustomed, then build up by adding sets each week.

After a 10–12 week cycle, take 5–7 days completely off training to stay injury-free and keep joints and tissues healthy.

Do not spend all your time looking at things up close; excessive near viewing contributes to visual defects and trains the eyes/brain away from distance vision.

When walking, hiking, biking, waiting at a bus stop, or commuting, do not spend the whole time looking at your phone.

Engage in self-generated optic flow through movement such as walking, bicycling, or swimming to support the visual system and mood-regulating neuromodulator systems; bicycling is preferred over driving or motorcycling for this purpose.

Use smooth pursuit stimulus videos or programs, including clinic-style or YouTube versions, for visual tracking practice.

Use a pen as a target for smooth pursuit or accommodation exercises.

Use a wand held by another person as a target for visual tracking exercises.

After visual exercises, let the eyes go soft in a relaxed panoramic mode rather than closing them tightly.

Exercise the eye muscles and accommodation mechanisms regularly as part of preserving vision.

Some people benefit from 5–15 seconds of slow blinking before focused work to lubricate the eyes and improve optical clarity; if eyes are dry, blink slowly about once every 1–2 seconds for around 15 seconds.

If one eye is much stronger, briefly covering the dominant eye each day may help strengthen the weaker eye, but avoid creating imbalances in young children unless clinically needed. For a weaker eye, near-far training can be done while covering the stronger eye, such as 10 minutes a day.

Use the Snellen chart as part of visual training by covering one eye, reading the letters, then the other eye, and tracking performance over time.

A cited study found improved macular pigment optical density and visual acuity following consumption of a buttermilk drink containing lutein-enriched egg yolks. If consuming eggs for lutein, runnier eggs are said to preserve the benefit better than dry scrambled or fully cooked non-runny eggs.

Some evidence suggests benefit for Leber’s congenital eye disease and Leber’s optic neuropathies. Check examine.com and discuss this option with a physician.

Consume astaxanthin-rich seafood; astaxanthin is the red-pink pigment found in various seafoods such as shrimp and certain fish.

Use sufficiently intense exercise to reach the muscular burn/lactate threshold for roughly 10% of workouts or about 10% of an individual workout; intended to generate lactate signaling that benefits brain, heart, and liver. When the burn appears, focus on deep inhales to bring in more oxygen and do not hold your breath.